Eco-warriors trash two more GM trials

ENVIRONMENTAL activists have sabotaged two more genetically-modified crop trials in Scotland.

Fife Earth First struck two fields at Boghall Farm, Penicuik, near Edinburgh, in the past week. Both were growing trial crops of GM oilseed rape, which the activists claim to have “decontaminated”.

The latest attack, last night, involved a handful of activists pulling up 2-3ft-wide strips of plants in the shape of a cross. Fife Earth First claims the “X-files” saltire as its trademark. The crop was a herbicide-resistant OSR experiment, being conducted for Pioneer Genetics.

The earlier attack, in the small hours of Saturday morning (13 June), involved about a dozen protesters. According to Fife Earth First, they pulled up about an acre of plants by hand. The trial was of OSR resistant to Monsantos Roundup herbicide, say the activists.

A spokesman for Fife Earth First said the groups intention was “to rid Scotland of genetically modified crops”. He said that further attacks could not be ruled out, adding that there were a total of 39 trial sites across the country.

The same group was responsible for destroying two other GM trial plots in Fife during March.

Eco-warriors trash two more GM trials

ENVIRONMENTAL activists have sabotaged two more genetically-modified crop trials in Scotland.

Fife Earth First struck two fields at Boghall Farm, Penicuik, near Edinburgh, in the past week. Both were growing trial crops of GM oilseed rape, which the activists claim to have “decontaminated”.

The latest attack, last night, involved a handful of activists pulling up 2-3ft-wide strips of plants in the shape of a cross. Fife Earth First claims the “X-files” saltire as their trademark. The crop was a herbicide-resistant OSR experiment, being conducted for Pioneer Genetics.

The earlier attack, in the small hours of Saturday morning (13 June), involved about a dozen protesters. According to Fife Earth First, they pulled up about an acre of plants by hand. The trial was of OSR resistant to Monsantos Roundup herbicide, say the activists.

A spokesman for Fife Earth First said the groups intention was “to rid Scotland of genetically modified crops”. He said that further attacks could not be ruled out, adding that there were a total of 39 trial sites across the country.

The same group was responsible for destroying two other GM trial plots in Fife during March.